Village of Westchester July 2021 Newsletter by Village of Westchester, IL

Village of

Westchester JULY, 2021

POLICE DEPARTMENT PUBLIC WORKS FIRE DEPARTMENT

LIBRARY

SCHOOL DISTRICT

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SPOTLIGHT ON SENIORS

SCOUTS

From the Desk of President Frank Perry

he last month has been busy at the Village. We’ve had a number of face to face meetings with our leaders over the last month. I’d like to give a brief description on what went on and any results that transpired. Paul Nosek and I had a nice conversation with U.S. Representative Danny Davis at his offices in the City. We went over our needs in town and how he may be able to help out our residents. We are looking forward to some financial assistance with our senior programs that we will be implementing as well as some transportation needs. Any help given will go directly into the senior center that we are creating at the new village hall. I was on a zoom meeting with Leader Kimberly Lightford and in the course of the discussion we discussed the eventual move of our fire department. She lent advice and direction on possible areas for the replacement of our FD according to a study that was conducted roughly 8 years ago. It was noted in that study that the department should be one centralized unit. She opened up her budget generously to aid us in these efforts with a $200,00 contribution. We are so appreciative for not only the contribution but the priceless direction Leader Lightford was able to provide. I also had the privilege of having breakfast one on one with House Speaker Emmanuel “Chris” Welch. This was a long discussion covering everything from the new TIF districts, infrastructure, development, and the closing and development of the St. Joseph property. Speaker Welch has generously allocated $2M from his budget for assistance in moving and building out our new Village Hall. These donations from our leaders are pivotal, appreciated and most welcomed! We recently closed on the property where our new Village Hall will be located. The new location for Village Hall will be 2305-2325 Enterprise Drive. Our

police department and public works department will be moving along with Village Hall. There will be no interruption in service in any way. The move will not take place immediately as the space will need to be renovated first. Westchester Fest will be happening and we will be utilizing our new Village Hall location to have these festivities. The dates for the Westchester Fest are August 13, 14, and 15th. Our 4th of July Parade is also a GO! The parade route is basically the same as it has been in previous years, however the start time will be noon on Sunday the 4th and the parade will end at Crestwood (by the fountain). There will also be entertainment and refreshments provided near the fountain following the Parade. We are currently testing for new fire department personnel and there are currently openings posted for the police department and applications are being accepted. Our Police Chief, Dan Babich, has ordered a new all terrain vehicle (ATV) for use of our officers on patrol. It will be used to monitor all of our parks with ease and accessibility. You should be seeing our new ATV in action in the upcoming weeks. The Village Board has approved the 2022 budget. Our budget forecasts a surplus $577,500.00. We are projecting a surplus of just over $500,000.00 from last year’s budget, which is outstanding. This can be partially attributed to receiving funds from The Cares act to the tune of $285,000.00. Projected expenditures came in less than expected and revenues were strong last year in spite of the pandemic.

JULY 2021

P olice D e partment JULY, 2021

Leave fireworks to the professionals this July 4 We are getting to that time of year again where the summer has been very hot and people are preparing for the Fourth of July Holiday. Being I have been on the job as a police officer serving 35 years in law enforcement I have been able to witness many things, some things I wish I never seen. I myself love to watch fireworks when conducted by professional vendors but not in the hands of individual citizens, especially the high-powered mortar bombs. I have been on too many calls with people who have blown off the side of their face, or I had to pick up their fingers lying on the ground as we rush them to the hospital. I have seen people burn their neighbor’s houses down, cars on fire, and damage front lawns or property from misuse of fireworks. On the other side of things, each year I receive complaints from residents on why do we not stop all this fireworks from going off at night because it is scaring those resting at home? The truth is most police departments have a limited work force working such

POLICE BLOTTER

1) At 6:22pm on May 16, 2021 a Burglary from Motor Vehicle was reported on the 10100 block of The Strand. The resident reported that unknown person(s) took a wallet from inside the vehicle sometime during the previous evening. 2) At 7:07pm on May 19, 2021 an Attempted Burglary was reported on the 1800 block of Balmoral. The resident reported that a subject attempted to talk the resident into stepping into their backyard. Resident would not exit the house and the person ran away before police arrived. 3) At 10:30pm on May 22, 2021 a Criminal Damage to Auto was reported on the 1800 Block of Mayfair. A citizen reported that a teenager appeared to be attempting to gain entry to a construction vehicle parked outside. The teenager left prior to the arrival of police. 4) At 10:26am on May 24, 2021 a Retail Theft was reported at the Jewel located at 2128 Mannheim. A store clerk reported that an unknown subject removed liquor from the store. Security camera footage was

being reviewed. 5) At 12:15am on May 31, 2021 an Armed Robbery was reported at the BP Amoco located at 825 Mannheim. A customer reported that after returning to their vehicle from the store, a subject approached their door demanding money and jewelry be given to them. 6) At 2:18pm on June 11, 2021 a Burglary to Motor Vehicle was reported at 3073 Wolf Road. A person reported that after returning to their vehicle it was noticed that money and wallet was taken from their vehicle. While taking the police report, the victim reported activity on their stolen credit card. 7) At 01:28am on June 13, 2021 a Criminal Damage to Property was reported on the 2300 Block of Sunnyside. The resident reportedly heard their car alarm go off an hour previous and checked the car and things appeared normal. One hour later the car alarm was again sounding. This time the resident noticed damage to the rear passenger window.

large populated areas with hundreds of people celebrating by shooting off fireworks from all different directions. In addition, during the same time officers will also be still handling daily calls for service coming in through 911-dispatch center on top of firework calls. To put it nicely, you would need at least 30 police officers working on that day, which is the entire police department members to even try and put a dent in such a wide spread situation. Many of these fireworks are being shot from private property within enclosed fenced in areas. The Westchester Police Department including myself will be out there in force on that day doing the best we can to keep the peace and our community safe. Please always remember fireworks are illegal and will be enforced. Sincerely Chief Daniel Babich Westchester Police Department

JULY 2021

PUBLIC WORKS

Branch Pickup • Branch pickup for July will be July 12-16, 2021 • Branch pickup for August will be August 2-6, 2021

The Public Works Department will pick up branches the first full week of every month. (April-November) All brush must be put out on the front parkway by 7:00 a.m. on the designated pickup day. Branches can be up to 7 ‘in length and stacked with the butt ends facing the street in the same direction. If not stacked properly, a “restack” notice will be left. Again, please put ALL brush out on your designated pickup day and Public Works crews will determine what constitutes an open load, which will be picked up later in the week. An open load would include any brush that will not fit through the chipper such as logs, stumps, and large limbs. These must be cut for one man to lift. Dirt must be removed from any root balls for pickup. Public Works Crews will only pass through a designated pickup area once due to time schedule and other workload responsibilities. Landscaping contractors are responsible for their own brush pickup and disposal. Please note the following schedule for

branch pickup: MONDAY: From Mannheim Road west to Wolf Road and from Canterbury south to Windsor-including both sides of Windsor Drive. Also, Waterford, Waverly, Camelot and Concord. TUESDAY: Roosevelt Road south to Cermak Road-from Gardner Road west to Mannheim Road. WEDNESDAY: From Roosevelt Road north to the expressway and from Gardner Road west to Mannheim Road. Also, Roosevelt Road south to Canterbury from Haase west to Heidorn. THURSDAY: From Belleview west to Wolf Road, Martindale Drive to 31st Street Remember…..Waste Management will also pick up your branches if they are bundled no more than 4’ in length. These will be picked up on your regular garbage day every week. Free yard waste stickers for reusable yard waste containers are available at the Village Hall office. Parkway Restoration: The Public Works Department will be repairing parkways damaged by sewer and water excavations and snow plow damage, weather permitting.

Pothole Repair The Public Works Department repairs potholes throughout the Village, weather permitting. Please call Public Works at 708345-0041 to report potholes. The vac and jet machine will continue to clean out storm sewer inlets, as weather permits. As Always….. Village residents are asked to call Public Works at 708-345-0041 or the Police Non Emergency number after hours at 708345-0060 if an unusual amount of water is visible in the street or parkway. This could be a main break or water leak that requires our immediate attention. 50/50 Shared Cost Sidewalk Replacement Program The Village offers a shared cost sidewalk replacement program. If the sidewalk in front of your residence is in poor condition and you would like to replace it, the Village will share the cost with you. Please call Public Works at 708-345-0041 for more information or to register. The work done for this year’s program is projected for the summer season and is done on a first come first serve basis.

50/50 Shared Cost Parkway Tree Program Beautify your yard and add to the curb appeal of your home…. The Village offers a 50/50 shared cost program that includes the purchase and planting of a new parkway tree. Residents have a choice of 5 types of trees indigenous to the area. The trees will be planted in November 2021. Please call Public Works at 708-345-0041 to register or for more information. Sprinkling Ban Reminder We have water use restrictions in effect every year, May 15-September 15, from 12pm to 6pm. This includes: (1) Outdoor Watering (2) Cleaning Outdoor Surfaces (3) Cleaning Buildings (4) Pool Filling Sprinkling during unrestricted hours (before noon, after 6pm) shall be allowed on even numbered days for those even numbered addresses, and on odd numbered days for those residents having odd numbered addresses. If we have a dry summer, further restrictions may be necessary.

Save The Prairie Society’s July Event - Don’t Squash That Bug Insect specialist James Rowan will be the guest speaker for Save The Prairie Society’s July Event. We see insects in our gardens and when we take our walks in the neighborhood. Most of us enjoy seeing the fireflies, the pollinators, and the butterflies. Our July guest speaker hopes to broaden our appreciation of those insects that are unfamiliar to us, but play an important role in keeping our ecosystem healthy. The more we know about the natural world the more interesting it is. Note: The historic Prairie House is air conditioned. Free event July 25 @ 1 pm 11225 Constitution Drive, Westchester

F ire D e partment JULY 2021

JULY 2021

Pre-Application Meetings Did you know that the Village offers pre-application meetings to all business owners and property owners in the Village free of charge. A Pre-application Meeting provides you an opportunity, early in the planning stage for a building project, to meet with representatives from the various departments at the Village that will be involved in reviewing your project. Information will be provided to you regarding what documents and permits will be required for your project. We will discuss the time frame expected to process your permit(s). You will be sent a written record of the Pre-application Meeting to help guide you through the process. These “Pre-App” meetings are intended to provide an overview of the regulatory requirements and application process. Our goal in this process is to make the permitting process as efficient and understandable as possible. Pre-App meetings are highly recommended as they identify early on in the process potential obstacles with proposed projects.

This helps property owners, contractors, developers, and businesses owners determine the feasibility of projects before expending much money. Applicants are provided with requirements, expectations, and code references to assist them with their project. These help ensure complete and correct submittals when applying for building or land use permits which improve plan review and approval times, reduce the need for resubmittals, and save applicants time and money. The Pre-App is a forum for village staff to assist you during the feasibility and preliminary analysis phase of your project. The information we provide does not constitute a formal approval or permit and is dependent on the level of information you give us. If you are interested in scheduling a pre-application meeting or have any questions, please contact Melissa Headley, Director of Community Development at 708-345-0199 or via email at mheadley@westchester-il. org.

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S couts JULY 2021

Westchester Daisy Scout Troop 47147 News For the last month of the official troop year, the girls got by with a little help from their friends- the four legged kind! Lieutenant Barb of the Brookfield Zoo police department brought Police dogs Kirby and Charlie to one our meetings. The troop learned about the special training Kirby and Charlie have undergone and the dogs demonstrated their sniffing and finding skills. Lt. Barb also brought a feathered friend, Louise the Chicken for all to pet. Thelma the chicken did not make it to this meeting. Kirby turned 10 this year and our troop helped her celebrate by sending her lots of cards, so Kirby wanted to thank the girls in person. Stop by to say hello to Kirby when you visit Brookfield Zoo this summer, she loves getting lots of pets and ear scratches. The girls also enjoyed a horseback riding outing at Memory Lane Stables in Willow Springs where they got to meet several horses and learned about their care. If you get a chance to visit Memory Lane Stables, note that the horses all have people names and the ponies have fun names like domino! Finally, this daisy troop closed the year with a traditional Girl Scout bridging ceremony. This troop met all their badge requirements in the past two years together, despite Covid-19. The girls have formally bridged to Brownies and look forward to many new in-person adventures together in the coming troop year this fall.

JULY 2021

rassroots Garden Group, a spirited collection of green thumbs in Westchester, presents its 3rd Annual Westchester Garden Walk on Saturday, July 10, from 9am-1pm. This year’s garden walk takes place in neighborhoods bordered by the streets of Canterbury, Mayfair, Windsor, and Belleview. Six gardens will be featured, many of which are within walking distance of one another.

“We are thrilled to host this community event again after having to go virtual last year,” said Grassroots Garden Group founder, Bethanny Alexander. “Get ready for a beautiful day of gardens and see how people in Westchester are enhancing their yards, and their lives, through beautiful landscaping.” Tickets for the garden walk cost $10 in advance and $15 the day of the garden walk. Tickets to the garden walk and five terrific

raffle prizes may be purchased online, with net proceeds benefitting the Westchester Food Pantry. All garden walk details can be found at www.grassrootsgardengroup.org. “Our annual Westchester Garden Walk is more than a means to show off our beautiful village; it is yet another way our group is able to support the work of the Westchester Food Pantry,” Alexander commented. Serving 8 local communities and run entirely by volunteers, the pantry serves hundreds

of local food insecure households every month. By donating the net proceeds of this event directly to the Westchester Food Pantry, Grassroots Garden Group has contributed over $3,500 the past 2 years. To learn more about the 2021 garden walk and Grassroots Garden Group, visit www.grassrootsgardengroup.org; email grassrootsgroup2015@gmail.com; or follow on facebook.com/grassrootsgardengroup and Instagram @grassroots_garden_group.

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